73 resto by RdJ

[renierdj]

Ok, lets get started with the restoration of the 73
Bought the car two months ago together with a spare body and a few parts. Motor starts but not sure what the condition of it is or the gearbox for that matter. Generally the car is free of rust except for the floor pan around the battery.

Started stripping mid June with my son(Cars for him, he's dead keen). Not sure what it will end up like, possibly something that looks old school, we'll see how it goes.

I've taken plenty pics but I have struggled to get them loaded (I'm a slow learner with this stuff). Will get them up soon.

So far the car is stripped, panels off, interior stripped,wiring stripped, body off pan, engine out and have started with rust removal. Next step to buy replacement floor panel to weld into the rusted floor area.

Thanks to all that have helped through this forum so far with parts etc.

Will post more pics soon.

[renierdj]

some pics

[MrT]

Looks like a 1974 to me?

[renierdj]

Could be, it seems to have a bit of all sorts. Engines not the original. Lot of mix and match parts.

[renierdj]

Some more pics
Body panels off

Glass out

Interior stripped

Just before Head liner was removed

Stripped body

Underside

My son


Yesterday bought a compressor and sand blasting pot. Works a treat. Cleaned up some small parts, Now I must make a cabinet or small booth to do the blasting in, sand every where. Will post some pics soon.

[renierdj]

Tried out my sandblasting setup today

12 CFM Compressor


45l Sandblasting pot


Brake linkage before blasting


After blasting, nice and clean, done in 30 secs.........


Now to draw up a booth on Autocad for doing the blasting in. Sand goes everywhere.

[renierdj]

This week end we did a bit more on the beetle. There just isn't enough time though.
Got up on Saturday and we took the beam axel off.


Took off the tie rods and will have to replace some of the tie rod ends. Once the front end was removed we gave it a clean with the pressure washer and then let it dry before stripping it and taping up ready for sand blasting.




Took the best part of the afternoon preparing and blasting the beam axle, brake bits and stub axle.




Once the stub axles were removed they were checked for wear and as can be expected the King & link pins need to be replaced.
When the link pin sleeves were removed I found that the last dude that put these bushes in did not line up the hole for the greece passage and the link pins were not getting any greece so they were a bit stuffed.


After the sandblasting was finished the bits were cleaned and primed.
Then they were painted with two coats of black.



Quite a job but lots of fun. Next is to get hold of new King & Link pins, clean up the other bits and assemble. I phoned Volkspares on Friday to find out about getting a new rear right floor pan section but they are out of stock. They said they would give me a call and let me know when they would be getting stock. So if any one has one they want to sell please let me know.
So heres waiting for next week end.

[jolas]

WOW - good progress - keep the pics coming !

[MrT]

Good work!

[renierdj]

Am I mad or what Just bought another beetle (a 63 ?). Thats three now in as many months, the wife is starting to give me the evil eye but hej my son and I are enjoying it and deep down she loves it too.

[retrovan]

Looks as if the googa het bebyt......

Like a Jolly itch, you have to keep scratching, (read buying VW's)

Enjoy, and if the Missus says you mad, than point to the rest of us here on the Forum, and tell her you just as sane as the rest of US.

Herman

[Warwick-Lowlight]

Good going there man - gives me some MOET for my resto

Nothing wrong with a bit of VW-alietus
As the dude said - dont worry your not alone
Some of us are terminal addicts

[renierdj]

Yeh, my son & I are addicted, can't wait for our weekend fix of aircooled. Met a guy here in Phalaborwa today thats been doing aircooleds for many many years and was blown away by all the bits and bobs of aircooled stuff he has. I'm sure I will be picking his brain (and stash) quite often.
I also work with a guy thats got a 65 notch back that he's had since new but has been out of action for a few years and has lived most of its life in a dry climate with the only bit of rust at the bottom of the doors and is waiting for a resto which he says he would like to be doing soon, so I think I must nudge him along.
Here's a pic of my latest acquisition

[renierdj]

Haven’t done any work on the beetle over the last few week ends, had to find a place to store the three beetles I have acquired over the last while. So have been busy cutting the brick wall on the side of the house and installing a gate. So now have them stored away nicely. Also been busy with some house maintenance.



So this weekend is the first in a while where my son and I have worked on the beetle, decided to call her Chaz.
It’s amazing how long the small details take so long to complete, that is if you want to do things properly.
Bought new bearings, stripped the one donor cars front end and found that the knuckles and pins were in good shape so stripped, sand blasted and painted them. Then re assembled ready to attach to the beam axle.



Stripped the brake assembly, cleaned and checked the brake cylinders, re assembled and put in the new bearings and put everything together.



One thing I noticed when dismantling the brake drums from the knuckle assembly was that all of them (4) had the lock plates inner tabs broken off. I think possibly because when buying the bearings the lock plate that comes with the bearings has a very long inner tab which I assume people just break off. What I did was put the new ones into a vice and bent the tab over so that it locates snuggly into the key slot.


Sand blasted front end


Painted


Assembled

[retrovan]

well done, this project is coming along nicely.

Herman